Tie made of textile material and method for its manufacture

ABSTRACT

A tie ( 1 ) comprising a single textile piece obtained by working a single yarn, said textile piece being shaped by means of increases and decreases of its fabrication. The tie ( 1 ) has a plurality of folding regions able to allow the superposition of two or more edges of the tie to obtain a predetermined shape of the tie. Method for manufacturing ties with a needle textile machine.

TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND ART

The present invention relates to a tie made of textile material and a method for its manufacture.

As is well known, a tie generally comprises a strip of fabric of various sizes, shape and decorations, which, when dressing, is wound around the collar of a shirt to form three characteristic zones: collar, knot and terminal ends.

Generally, the strip of fabric comprising a tie is not a single piece, but it is obtained by connecting multiple strips of textile material, appropriately shaped and sewn together.

Normally, ties comprise four or five strips of fabric that are sewn at the end to form a single strip of fabric that define the tie in its entirety. Subsequently, the lateral longitudinal edges of said strip of fabric are folded and superposed to the is central part of the strip destined not to be in view and they are pressed by ironing, in such a way as to form folds able to maintain said edges in position. Generally, the edges are also sewn together, in order to assure a stable position when the tie is worn.

Preferably, there is a lining sewn on the part of the fabric strip destined not to be in view when the tie is worn.

As is well known, there are substantially two types of ties: tapered ties with the classic “arrow tip” pointing downwards, when the tie is worn, and ties cut straight, i.e. not tapered.

Ties obtained with multiple strips of fabric have the drawback of being particularly laborious to manufacture.

Disadvantageously, the method for manufacturing this type of ties is particularly delicate, as it requires numerous sewing and ironing steps, to assure that the tie will maintain a given shape.

As is well known, there are also unshaped tubular ties, obtained by weaving multiple fabric yarns and worked with coarse patterns.

Such ties have the important drawback of taking on a shape that is not well defined and of frequently assuming improper positions once they are worn.

Other neckties and/or methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed in the so following prior art documents.

Document GB 16735 discloses a knitted neckties with a narrow neck portion merging into a flaring or gradually widening end or ends.

From document U.S. Pat. No. 2,106,256 it is known a necktie, in particular an integral tie, having greater warp density in their central portion, for example in the neckband and knot portions than at their ends. The present document also discloses a method of making such a tie.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 1,072,734 shows a method of knitting neckties and scarves, whereby the tie may have a stripe or stripes therein, having a lace effect on a true or substantially true bias, and may also have therein at one or both sides of such lace formed stripe, a stripe or stripes each of one or more colours, all of which stripes may be fed or shot into the tie at intervals and which necktie may have a narrow neck portion merging into a gradually widened flaring end or ends and the body of which tie may be knitted of one or several colours to give an iridescent or accordion effect.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 2,601,772 discloses a knitted tie of flat construction in which all of the threads is of one thickness.

From document U.S. Pat. No. 1,988,092 it is known a folded necktie.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 2,304,935 relates to a so-called “four-in-hand” necktie and to a method for making the same.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

An object of the present invention is also to solve the aforesaid drawbacks, making available a tie that is not composed by multiple strips of fabric.

An additional purpose of the present invention is to propose a tie that is able to maintain its shape when it is worn.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a method for manufacturing ties with a needle textile machine.

A further object of the present invention is to obtain the above results within a simple, rational constructive solution.

Said objects are fully achieved by the tie made of textile material and by the related method for its manufacture, of the present invention, which are characterised by the content of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and other objects shall become more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, illustrated purely by way of non limiting example in the accompanying drawing tables, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a tie made in accordance with the present invention in extended configuration;

FIG. 2 shows a front rear view of a tie made in accordance with the present invention in folded configuration.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to the figures, the numeral 1 indicates a tie made of textile material manufactured with a fabric knitting work process.

The tie 1 is manufactured in a single textile piece starting from a single yarn fed to a textile machine.

Preferably, the tie 1 is obtained by means of a needle textile machine that has eighteen needles per inch, so that the knitted fabric has a corresponding fineness of about eighteen.

As is well known, the term “fineness” indicates the size of the knitted fabric and the larger the value, the smaller the dimension of the knit; specifically, this value is determined by the number of needles of the machine present in a certain range, in particular in one inch.

With reference to FIG. 1, the tie according to the invention has a direction of longitudinal development along which are defined a first portion 1 a, an intermediate portion 1 b and a second portion 1 c positioned at an opposite side from said first portion 1 a relative to the intermediate portion 1 b.

In particular, the first portion 1 a has a double increasing/decreasing taper starting from an end edge 2 of the first portion 1 a, towards said intermediate portion 1 b.

With reference to FIG. 1, the increasing taper is indicated with the numeral 3, whilst the decreasing taper is distinguished with the numeral 4.

Preferably, the second portion 1 c has a double increasing/decreasing taper starting from said intermediate portion 1 b towards an end edge 5 of said second portion of the tie 1.

With reference to FIG. 1, the increasing taper is indicated with the numeral 6, whilst the decreasing taper is distinguished with the numeral 7.

In new and original fashion, the tie 1 has a plurality of needle-out regions 8 obtained along the longitudinal direction of development of the tie.

With reference to the figures, said needle-out regions are preferably obtained on an unseen surface of the tie, in particular on the rear surface shown in FIG. 1.

Needle-out machining is a particular process in which an operating needle is moved into the rear needlebed, so that it is moved out of the work process to crease a gap/recess in the knitting. The needlebed of a textile machine is a seat, generally made of steel, that contains the needles and allows their actuation, necessary to operate a predetermined work process on a fabric.

In the preferred embodiment, the needle-out regions 8 are placed on said first portion 1 a, second portion 1 c and intermediate portion 1 b in symmetrical position relative to a longitudinal axis of the tie.

With particular reference to FIG. 2, the needle-out regions 8 define longitudinal lines in which the fabric of the tie has reduced thickness, so that said longitudinal lines constitute folding lines for edges of the tie that are mutually opposite relative to a longitudinal axis of the tie.

In this way, the edges of the tie maintain the folded position with no need for sewing.

In accordance with embodiment variants, not shown, there may be multiple longitudinal lines worked in needle-out fashion, so that the tie has greater consistency, in consideration of the presence of multiple superposed and folded edges.

Preferably, six longitudinal lines are provided, in such a way that the tie has three superposed edges on each half of the tie.

Advantageously, the ties manufactured in accordance with the present invention are particularly simple to manufacture, because they are fabricated in a single textile piece and they require no sewing, contrary to ties currently available on the market, which are formed by multiple strips of fabric sewed to each other.

Another advantage of a tie according to the invention is that, being worked with knit fabric, can be worn making a particularly thin knot.

Advantageously, a tie according to the invention takes on a well defined shape and does not position itself improperly once it is worn.

According to the invention, a method for manufacturing ties with a needle textile machine, originally comprises the steps of:

-   -   feeding a single yarn of textile material to the machine;     -   increasing the number of needles in operation to increase the         dimension of the fabrication of the fabric, said step of         increasing having variable duration as a function of a         predetermined final shape of the tie;     -   decreasing the number of needles in operation to decrease the         dimension of the fabrication of the fabric, said step of         decreasing having variable duration as a function of a         predetermined final shape of the tie;     -   needle-out working, to obtain a plurality of regions with         reduced thickness along a longitudinal direction of development         of the tie;     -   one or more steps of folding the tie along said needle-out         regions to mutually superpose two or more edges of the tie.

The regions with reduced thickness define folding lines for edges of the tie that have to superpose to central portion of the tie itself, enabling said edges to maintain the folded position even after the tie is worn, with no need to perform any sewing or pressing by ironing.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the yarn is worked with knit fabric.

Preferably, a needle textile machine of the type with eighteen needles per inch, so that the knit fabric mesh a corresponding fineness of eighteen.

Advantageously, a method in accordance with the invention is particularly practical and efficient, because it does not require any step of sewing, or cutting, or pressing by ironing. On the contrary, this latter ironing step is absolutely necessary to assure that ties manufactured in accordance with the prior art will maintain a given shape. 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. Tie (1) comprising a single textile piece obtained by working a single yarn, characterised in that it has a plurality of longitudinal lines (8) in which the textile of the tie (1) has reduced thickness, so that said longitudinal lines (8) constitute folding lines for edges of the tie that are mutually opposite relative to a longitudinal axis of the tie, said folding lines being able to allow the superposition of two or more edges of the tie to obtain a predetermined shape of the tie.
 12. Tie (1) as claimed in claim 11, wherein said folding lines are positioned symmetrically relative to a longitudinal axis of the tie.
 13. Tie (1) as claimed in claim 11, wherein said textile piece is manufactured by means of knit fabric work process.
 14. Tie (1) as claimed in claim 13, wherein said knit fabric has a fineness of about eighteen needles per inch, equivalent to about seven needles per centimeter.
 15. Tie (1) as claimed in claim 11, having a direction of longitudinal development along which are defined a first portion (1 a), an intermediate portion (1 b) and a second portion (1 c) positioned at an opposite side from said first portion (1 a) relative to the intermediate portion (1 b).
 16. Tie (1) as claimed in claim 15, wherein said first portion (1 a) has a double taper (3,4), a first part (3) of said taper starting and increasing from an end edge (2) of said first portion (1 a) of the tie and a second part (4) of said taper decreasing towards said intermediate portion (1 b).
 17. Tie (1) as claimed in claim 15, wherein said second portion (1 c) has a double taper (6, 7), a first part (6) of said taper starting and increasing from said intermediate position (1 b) and a second part (7) of said taper decreasing towards an end edge (5) of said second portion (1 c) of the tie.
 18. A method for manufacturing ties with a needle textile machine, comprising the steps of: feeding a single yarn of textile material to the machine; increasing the number of needles in operation to increase the dimension of the fabrication of the fabric, said step of feeding having variable duration as a function of a predetermined final shape of the tie; decreasing the number of needles in operation to decrease the dimension of the fabrication of the fabric, said step of decreasing having variable duration as a function of a predetermined final shape of the tie; operating a needle working to realize a plurality of longitudinal lines in which the textile of the tie has reduced thickness; one or more steps of folding the tie along said longitudinal lines to mutually superpose two or more edges of the tie.
 19. Method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a step of working said yarn with knit fabric.
 20. Method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said textile machine is of the type with eighteen needles per inch, equivalent to about seven needles per centimeter. 